


call it spring fever

by fated_addiction



Category: GOT7, K-pop, KARA (Band), Korean Actor RPF, 룸메이트 | Roommate (TV)
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Romance, these kids
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-05
Updated: 2015-03-05
Packaged: 2018-03-16 09:44:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,047
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3483569
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fated_addiction/pseuds/fated_addiction
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p><i>Her mouth opens. Then it closes. Then she sighs too. "What did Wang Jackson do?"</i> </p>
<p>Rumors and scandals, oh my! Heo Youngji isn't really good at a game of push and pull.</p>
            </blockquote>





	call it spring fever

**1.**

 

 

 

One hour ago, a rumor broke the Internet. Not quite a scandal, those are a little more complicated as it is, and take way too much time to verify.

It's still a rumor though. You know, one of those Celebrity A likes Celebrity B because A and B were filming this drama and _sparks_ flew because, like, the chemistry was off the charts -- silly, stupid things like that, which Youngji can never find herself used to, being apart of this life the way that it is. It goes a little something like this though, Celebrity A has liked Celebrity B too long but suddenly there's a NEWBIE in the mix and they were sharing smoothies the other day because it was nice to be out with someone who has an unrecognizable face.

The rumor is enough for her sister is the first to call her.

"Did you see it?"

"See what, eonni?" she asks, wiping sweat from the back of her neck. She lives in the practice room, these days, with the group's comeback in Japan getting closer. Her t-shirt feels a little too sticky and she picks at the front. "I haven't been paying attention to anything today."

Her sister sighs. "Yah, you have to pay attention to these things, at least, because if you don't --" her exasperation is clear, "-- this is why you're the little sister," she mutters.

Youngji laughs and moves to sit on the floor. Hara disappeared for some free time. Gyuri and Seungyeon went for lunch too. Her own flight back to Korea is tonight; she's thinking about presents, if anything, because she's due back at the _Roommate_ house tomorrow and it wouldn't be right to not bring anything back.

"So what then? Did I do anything?"

"No," her sister says. "You didn't. Even the _antis_ are worried about you too."

Youngji snorts. 

"About me?"

Her sister groans. "Yes, dummy. That's why I called. Scandals are scandals, after all."

"But I'm not in one --"

She tries to think. Did Nana-eonni have another scandal? Has she been dragged in by default? Sunny was joking about starting something of her own when they talked the other day. It can't be any of her oppas -- it's not like any of them deliberately decide to go and create these things either. It's a strange, strange life, the idol life, and you forget things like being friends, schools and boyfriends and stupid, awkward kisses, come with consequences.

Then it starts to make sense. 

Her mouth opens. Then it closes. 

"What did Wang Jackson do?"

Her sister laughs nervously. She hears a few books shut. She even clears her voice. "Nothing," her sister protests and she's almost gentle. "I mean," she adds. "That I know of -- being linked to a trainee isn't nothing new. It happens to people all the time. It's like if a sunbae were dating me ..."

"But you are dating your sunbae," Youngji replies dryly. She completely glosses over the _being linked to a trainee_ part. She rubs her eyes. "And our parents really like him," she says too.

Her sister sighs again. "I tried."

Youngji can only force herself to shrug. They talk for a few more minutes, or really until her sister is completely satisfied that Youngji isn't throwing a fit or crying obsessively over news she hasn't even bothered to read about yet. When she finishes with her phone, she tosses it to the side and stares forward, right at herself in the mirrors.

Her hair is a mess, she thinks first. Wild curls frame her forehead and her chin and her ponytail is beginning to slip too. The cuffs of her sweatpants are rolled. She reaches down then, retying a shoe lace. She's a mess, she corrects herself. And she's tired.

Next to her, her phone vibrates against the ground.

Hara's photo appears on screen. The it's a text: _okay?_

"Eonni," she sighs, and then picks her phone up again, replying: _fine_ and _okay_ and _my eonni called me just me too_ because Hara's not the person to take a _yes i am fine_ from anyone without varying degrees of suspicion. She always says she watches too many dramas.

Then Gyuri follows, Seungyeon too, and both tell her that she should get out, get fresh air, and not spend too much time in the practice room too. She picks up on things quickly, faster than the three of them. She's still eager. They all love her. Boys are just really, really, REALLY stupid -- that was Hara-eonni, but then she's going through things.

But she doesn't hear from Jackson yet.

 

 

 

-

 

 

 

They are in Japan for three more days, a week later, and she has one of her first solo shoots for a magazine that she is so nervous about, too nervous about, but it's real, happening, and such a welcome distraction.

She would be lying she didn't search the rumor herself.

After more texts from others, including Dongwook who playful, but seriously offers to mediate as if it were true, she is beginning to wonder if in fact rumors are not any sort of rumors, but an accidental truth someone was nerve meant to see. She wonders if the winter is making her crazy though. She searches Celebrity A and finds that there's Celebrity B, C, and D and someone's cursed someone out, but not wearing their wedding rings, and while there was a reconciliation in progress -- who could ever follow any of these things because, honestly, she has a huge headache. She sees a picture of herself with Jackson though and linked arms at the award's ceremony they went to. It's not even a recent photograph. So she stops herself since searching isn't the same as asking the source and if anything, the source is either going to go, "YAH it's none of your business!" and not meet her directly in the eye because when Jackson lies or is in the middle of doing something really, really stupid, he can't look at her at all.

Youngji still makes the mistake first.

_hi_

Her fingers are moving against her screen as they finish putting curls in her hair. She will not think about this when she's working, she tells herself. She sends the _hi_ first and watches as underneath, the tag MESSAGE READ appears. She bites her lip and tries again.

_hi i wanted to know if you're okay_

She deletes that. It sounds stupid, she thinks.

_how are you?_

Better. Less awkward. Or rather, less awkward than she usually ends up being when they try and talk seriously.

_answer?_

That message gets a read receipt too. She waits a few more minutes and then huffs, since nothing comes back.

"Boyfriend troubles?" the hair stylist teases and Youngji's startled, eyes wide. "You have that look."

"That look?" She doesn't say _boyfriend_ either. "I have a look?"

The woman nods. "Uh-huh." She gently folds Youngji's hair over her shoulders, brushing the ends loose. "Like you're trying to be the most rational person in the world, but this guy is the only one that gets under your skin. And what's worse is that he's completely oblivious because you're not really that good at hiding your feelings -- only according to him."

"Yes! And he so does," she agrees, then claps her hand over her mouth. Her eyes are wide. "Erm, I mean," she clears her throat. "I don't know --" her cheeks are red and she sighs, looking down. "Am I obvious?" she mumbles.

The stylist laughs. "Take your time. I need to let makeup know that it's their turn."

Youngji doesn't know what she's admitted to exactly, but she's admitted to something and for a moment, the small makeup and hair room is quiet enough for her to hear herself think. Is she mad? Is she really upset? Her fingers move over her phone again and she doesn't really know what she should say and, if anything, there's a place for her to say something.

Her stomach suddenly knots itself together. She swallows.

_hi_

She tries again.

_how are you -- are you okay?_

"Ugh," she mutters, tossing her phone onto the counter. It's useless, she thinks. There's nothing to say. This is Jackson's business. She doesn't know why she's worried. 

It's just a rumor.

 

 

 

-

 

 

 

A reporter corners her on the way back to the practice room. Gyuri links her arm through hers, keeping her close. He comes out of nowhere.

"So if he has a girlfriend, does that mean you're both still friends? Or did you agree to help cover for the two of them? When will you return to the Roommate house?"

Youngji freezes. She forgets to breathe. Her smile is sort of shaky and she thinks wow, wow this all kinds of hateful. Why do people need to know? Her hand tightens in Gyuri's and Hara even comes up behind her, her arm curling around her waist. Her heart is racing. She forces herself to swallow.

"Well," she says. Her mouth hurts from the weird, little smile she manages. "I guess this means that people will finally let us go and get snacks in peace at the convenience store."

With that answer, someone says online, she's already a seasoned pro.

 

 

 

 

**2.**

 

 

Okay, so they haven't talked about it.

It's not exactly his fault. It's more like HER fault, considering she's been back at the _Roommate_ house, the rumor has gone down, and she's now hiding in Sunny and Jongok's room because no one would dare to come in and bother her there if anything else.

She's avoiding him. He hasn't talked to her either. She got a **I'M FINE SUPER BUSY** in a really rushed, almost condescending way. It's not like it wasn't true. He's just as busy as she is, between _Roommate_ and promotions and side projects. It's not like they talk everyday either (they _sort of_ do) and it's not like she misses him either (she totally does), but there is something weird about not talking to him, not trying to figure out what's happening, and NOT not being weirded out that she sort of, maybe, _possibly_ has feelings for him.

It's a weird thing to reconcile, especially since she's come out and said, now twice, that she sees him as a man and hasn't really held back from that particular type of honesty. But apparently, the universe has thrown in another complication.

**WHY ARE YOU UPSTAIRS**

She blinks, misses Jackson's picture on her phone, the YAH WANG JACKSON flashing twice more, and then crawls into Sunny's bed while reading all the texts.

_tired_

"Why else would I be upstairs?" she mutters, and the staff seems to be leaving her alone too, considering. There are no guests, yet. Sunny said she'd come and grab her otherwise. She turns onto her back, watching the typing icon appear.

**I JUST GOT HERE**

_and?_

**YAH WE WERE GOING TO GO TO THE SUPERMARKET -- YOU NEVER NOT GO TO THE SUPERMARKET ARE YOU SICK THEN**

_no just don't feel like it_

She considers the rest of her answer too. She could take another chore. 

**YOU'RE SICK**

_not_

**THEN WHAT ELSE AMI SUPPOSED TOTHINKFROM YOU NOT BEING DOWNSTAIRS AND YELLING AT ME TO PUT MY CLOTHES ON BECAUSE HYUNG IS GOING TO GET MAD BECAUSE WHO ELSE IS GOING TO MAKE SURE THAT I'M SET**

_whatever_ \-- she only means to stay with that because she's not good at fighting, especially with him. Sure, sure. He gets under her skin and it's like nothing else. Rather, it's seventeen different emotions that burst out and she can't just go and grab him and shake him, or do anything to make it stop because he's really just too good at making her crazy.

She hears the footsteps though, or rather, someone running upstairs and then skidding just outside the door. There's a knock and then Jackson bursts in.

"You can't not talk to me."

She frowns. "I'm talking to you. Right now, even."

He moves around, sitting on Sunny's bed with her. He pulls the blankets from her shoulders.

"You're avoiding me too." He looks worried. The lines in his mouth are tight. He bounces up and down in the bed. "You can't avoid me either. It's stupid, especially when you've never really been this mad at me before."

"I am not _mad_."

"You are." He pokes her forehead. "You're frowning."

"This is a stupid conversation."

"A necessary one," he corrects.

"Why couldn't we talk when I texted you earlier? Why does this have to be on your _terms_?" She's frustrated and curls her knees towards her chest. "I have more _antis_ than you, Jackson."

He throws his hands up. "What does that even mean?"

It's such as stupid thing to pick at, especially when she's basically been reassured by the universe that rumors are rumors and they are always going to be there. Someone is going to be cruel and start something. It's not bothering him either, she thinks, and maybe, she should stop being ridiculous and letting it bother her too.

The problem is that he always talks to her about things. Just not this. Especially not this, for whatever reason.

"We're in a fight."

Jackson glares. "This is stupid."

"No," she argues. "It's not -- because I never get to be upset with you, so I'm going to be upset with you until you figure it out and do something about it."

"Do something about _what_?"

It just comes out this way, everything, since she's held onto it for so long or didn't know that she was holding onto this. Her feelings bubble through her throat and she shuffles to sit against the wall, her eyes burning. Her hands clench into fists and into the blanket and what's the use, she thinks, of hiding anything really.

"I think of you as a man," she says quietly. Her lips dry. Her mouth purses together. "I have never not been honest about that, you know? I have always told you how I've felt, be it alone, together, or in front of six thousand cameras. You're my best friend."

Everything sounds so childish, when she says it, and she's never really confessed to anyone before. She's been focused on moving forward, of dreams and making her family proud and supported. She feels clumsy.

"But it's more than that," she says. "I don't need to talk to you every day. I don't need to see you every day. It doesn't mean that I don't want to. It doesn't mean that I would like to see you like _that_ \-- I'm not an idiot and rumors are just stupid. That's what it was. _Stupid_. But if you can go and say that you like me, that you --"

His hand covers her mouth. Her eyes are wide.

"Is this what -- so this is why you're mad?"

He's serious, maybe too serious. His eyes are large and dark. His thumb flicks at her nose.

"Youngji-ah." Then he chuckles. "You're ridiculous."

Her eyes burn. Her throat tightens with embarrassment.

She tries to say _jerk_. Her mouth moves against his palm and his skin is hot. He smirks but doesn't remove his hand either.

"I'm not going to fight with you," he says.

They stare at each other. His hand slides away from her mouth, moving to her jaw. Her fingers loosen in the blankets, but then he shifts forward, closer to her knees.

"You can't be mad."

Her gaze drops. "Can too."

"You can't," he says. "Because you don't know the story --"

"You won't tell it to me," she interrupts.

"There's nothing _to_ tell," he insists.

"So then," she pulls back, hitting her fists against the bed, "why do you care if I'm mad or not, you idiot?"

"Because I _do_."

He growls a little and slides closer, but she shifts and turns onto her knees. She slides off the bed. He follows her across the bed and then they're both standing, away from the door and the camera. She stomps her foot.

"That's not an answer, Wang Jackson. You can't just go and be cryptic either. You don't call. You're not straightforward -- or you're sick with a fever and working too hard because the Wang Jackson that I know --"

"-- you're worried about me?" he cuts through.

"Yes. YES." Her hands wave around. "Do I have to drop a sign on you for you to get that?"

He bites his lip. "Uh, yeah."

She stomps her feet again. "WANG JACKSON."

"I don't know what you want me to say." His hand rise and she ducks under his arm, moving closer to the door. "And don't run away either!"

"I'll do what I want!" she shoots back.

No place is sacred, she thinks. He calls her name out, but she scurries out of the room and heads downstairs to the others. She'll just stay around her eonnis. Girl code, or something like it. She's terrible at hiding anyway.

It's true then. They're in a fight.

 

 

 

 

**3.**

 

 

Fortunately (or unfortunately, really) she is back in Japan and doesn't spend too much time at the _Roommate_ house, even though she wanted to stay and see everybody, but avoid Jackson at all costs. She doesn't really like fighting. She pouts a lot. Both her eonnis and oppas are letting them be too; Dongwook did threaten them a couple of times though, her in particular -- _I will even buy you the dress_ , he had said.

After another photo shoot, her manager-oppa takes the long way back to the practice room. She doesn't really pay attention. All the girls had a schedule of different things today and Seungyeon is flying back from Seoul to join them for another round of intense practicing.

"Where are we going?"

Her manager meets her gaze in the mirror. "We're stopping," he says, "just for a bit -- I need to get more water for the fridge. We're running low."

"Oh."

She blinks and shrugs. Leaning forward, she digs her phone out of her bag. She's still wearing making up from her shoot. Her eyes are a little darker. Her face feels like she's still got another layer of skin on it. It's a little too much, but dressing up is fun and distracting.

She needs it, she thinks.

Her manager parks the car. He jumps and she realizes that they've parked at one of the nearby parks. She turns in her seat and spots the convenience across the street. The lights glow and she shifts, retying her shoes before she slides out of her seat and outside to stand.

It's cold, not too cold, and she leans against the van, watching people walking around. She bites her lip, looking down at her phone. There are no messages.

"Idiot," she mutters.

"So you're still mad then?"

She jumps, whirling around. Jackson is leaning against the van with her, arms crossed like he's been there the entire time and _watching_ her -- which, okay, he totally would do that.

"How --" she hits his arm "-- you're here!"

"Yup!" He looks entirely too proud of himself, grinning and holding his arms out. She hits him again. "Yah! You're supposed to be happy. _All_ my hyungs helped and yeah, okay, I do have a shoot in the morning so work is important but we'll go back together since we have to be at the house too--"

She shakes her head, her eyes wide.

"I can't even begin to understand what's happening right now. Are you really here? Don't you have a show tomorrow night? Or a fan appearance? Don't you have _work_?"

"You're rambling," he says, amused. "And I said had work. Weren't you listening?"

"I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO SAY AND I'M _SUPPOSED_ TO BE MAD, OKAY?" She stomps her foot. "AND I CAN'T BE MAD IF YOU'RE HERE AND I FEEL LIKE -- I FEEL LIKE --"

She's breathing heavily and he reaches forward, grabbing her by the shoulders and then pulling her to him. She hits his chest, then his arm wraps around her waist. He pulls her in tightly and she's completely flushed against him, her chin hitting his shoulder. She's on her toes and confused and embarrassed and about thirty different things that she doesn't completely understand.

"You're jealous," he murmurs into her ear. She swallows and his lips graze her skin. "It's cute."

She thinks about biting him. "It's embarrassing," she mumbles.

"You were thinking of me."

Her heart is pounding. It happens slowly; she shudders first, her hands rise and curl against his back, into his jacket, because they're on the street and really, if you think about it, they could be anyone. His hand rises and curls in her hair, pulling it loose from the bun. He pulls at the strands and she wrinkles her nose, shaking her head.

"Jackson."

"You were," he says. He grins widely and she pulls back a little, just so that she can look at him. His gaze is bright. "You so, so, _so_ were."

"But you haven't admitted to _anything_ ," she mutters, pushing back at him. Her head spins a little and she can't begin to wrap herself around the idea that he's really here and it's because -- she blinks, frowning. "Are we going to fight?"

"Yah!" He flicks her forehead.

She pouts, pulling back. Her hand presses against her forehead as she stares him down.

"It's a legitimate question," she says.

"It's a _stupid_ question."

"Ugh, why are you going to continue to argue with me when this is such a stupid argument -- if you had seen or read or even asked any of my members, you would have known that I was just opening the door for a girl. I WAS OPENING A DOOR, Youngji. The thing that someone does when they have manners and -- ah, man, this isn't how I wanted to do it."

"Do what --"

He grabs her face, both of his hands pressing against her cheeks. His mouth drops over hers and his teeth scrape at her lip. It's a clumsy kiss, but it's still a kiss, still a very real kiss, still their _first_ , and her head is spinning around and around. Her hands drop. Then they rise again. Then her fingers are buried in his jacket. She forgets that they are outside, that they're still in public, outside, and there are people around and everywhere.

It takes her a minute to kiss him back, a minute more to breathe and relax. She pushes herself back up onto her toes and her fingers sliding to curl around his neck. He laughs against her mouth and she sighs, opening her mouth back against his. It's a kiss, she thinks. It's a particular kiss. His mouth is too strong. Her mouth is too soft. They push. They pull. Her back hits the car door lightly.

Then his forehead drops against hers.

"You can't be mad at me anymore," he says. "It's not allowed. I mean it."

It means so much: an apology, a reassurance, and about ten more things that he can't even begin to bring himself to say or that she wants to say in return. He lets go of her though, then turns and rests his back against the car. His fingers lace through hers and he holds her hand tightly. 

Youngji feels her smile begin to grow.

"I'll try my best," she says.

 

 

 

-

 

 

 

It takes ten minutes for the rumor to clear up.

Jackson walks next to her as they walk behind Sunny who, in fact, will also be flying back to Seoul so that they can get to the _Roommate_ house for work. The camera lights are flashing everywhere. She hears her name being called, after Sunny's and Jackson's too. When they get back to Korea, it'll be three times brighter, louder, _and_ heavier. 

It's weird, she thinks. It never usually bothers her. She is suddenly all too aware of the people watching her and falls behind, just a little. Jackson turns, pushing his sunglasses up his nose and then shakes his head.

"Keep up," he half-teases, and grabs her bag. He reaches for her hand too, tucking it into his arm. "And buy me coffee when we get to the gate."

She hums, laughing. "Should I?"

He squeezes her hand and carries bag the entire way. They start a scandal instead.


End file.
